“Obviously a goalkeeper is not a player you are changing match after match, you must give a bit of stability, but this is about performances,” Mourinho said.

“Ten years ago I had a very difficult decision to make when you have Carlo Cudicini giving fantastic performances in Chelsea’s goal for many years and I made a decision for Petr in 2004-05 because I had in my hands a keeper who I thought could be in Chelsea’s goal for many years and years.

“The situation is similar.

“We have to think about the future of the club and made a decision to give the goal to Courtois.

“But I feel so comfortable and so safe having these two goalkeepers with us. Petr is a fantastic professional. He only knew my decision this morning.”